Public Order and Safety (Special Powers) Act 2018 · 2020 Revised Edition · Part 3 · Special Authorisations
15. Who may exercise powers under special authorisation
Feedback & supportA special power specified in a special authorisation may be exercised by any of the following who is granted the special authorisation:
special power
“special power” means any power conferred under Part 4 or section 31, 35(4) or (5) or 48;
a police officer when he or she is in uniform; (b)a police officer when not in uniform only after he or she produces a warrant identifying himself or herself as a police officer.
To avoid doubt, a police officer may exercise a special power specified in a special authorisation whether or not he or she has received a hardcopy of the special authorisation.
police officer
“police officer” includes —(a)a member of the Special Constabulary established under the Police Force Act 2004; and(b)an auxiliary police officer appointed as such under Part 9 of the Police Force Act 2004;
Subject to subsection (4), a special power specified in a special authorisation may also be exercised by —
any law enforcement officer acting on the direction and in aid of the police officer granted the special authorisation; or (b)an individual (who is not a serviceman) acting on the direction and in aid of the police officer granted the special authorisation (called in this Act a civilian assistant),and a reference in Part 4 or 5 to a police officer acting pursuant to a special authorisation includes such a law enforcement officer or a civilian assistant acting under the police officer’s direction.
This section —
only authorises a civilian assistant to exercise a special power specified in section 18, 19(1) or (2), 20(1) or (2), 24 or 27(1)(a) or (b) in aid of a police officer exercising that special power; and
does not authorise a civilian assistant to use lethal force when exercising any special power in aid of a police officer.
An individual who is authorised under subsection (3)(a) or (b) to exercise a special power in aid of a police officer must obey all lawful directions (general or specific) of that police officer when exercising that power; but the individual —
does not cease to be acting on the direction of a police officer by reason only that that police officer is not present at all times when the individual exercises the special power; and
is not to be regarded as a member of the police force for the purposes of section 14 of the Government Proceedings Act 1956.